My three sons: Triple selection delight for Barrett family
Kevin and Robyn Barrett were overwhelmed at the news their sons Scott and Jordie would be joining older brother Beauden on the All Blacks end-of-year tour.
While Beauden was a shoo-in to make the tour to the United States, Ireland, Italy and France, Scott was named in the squad as injury cover for Sam Whitelock, who has a high ankle sprain, while Jordie has been chosen as an apprentice.
‘‘We were just taken back, overwhelmed at the news,’’ Kevin said. ‘‘We’re just so proud.’’ The proud parents were in Auckland on Saturday night to watch Beauden help the All Blacks to a world record number of test wins for a tier one country and decided on Sunday to change their travel plans and head to Christchurch where Scott and Jordie were playing in the Mitre 10 Cup semifinal.
They caught up with the boys with Jordie letting them in on the news that he had been chosen as an apprentice.
However, Scott was not so forthcoming, instead opting to let mum and dad find out like the rest of the country when the squad was announced.
‘‘That’s so typical of Scott,’’ Kevin said. ‘‘He’s just so laidback.’’ Regular tourists to support their sons wherever they play around the world, Kevin and Robyn will no doubt be planning a trip in the next few weeks with Scott looking likely to make his All Blacks debut, maybe against Italy.
As for the continued queries about whether or not Scott or Jordie will head home and one day play for Taranaki, Kevin was still not sure.
‘‘All we do is support them and respect whoever they want to play for.’’
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the decision to take Jordie on the tour, the first time they had taken an apprentice since 2013 when Ardie Savea was named, was to help him develop because he felt sure he would wear the national jersey in the future.